septembre 25, 2014

The 2014 concept bike dubbed Projekt MRSC Connected (for
Magneto-Rheological Suspension Control) is a move in the direction to
highlight a design focus on comfort, as lightness and stiffness have
continue to progress almost exclusively at the high-end. Much like any standard oil-based damper, magneto-rheological (MR)
dampers work by restricting the flow of a fluid in order to absorb
energy. Instead of the typical viscous oil, though, MR fluid is actually
a suspension of magnetic whiskers. Applying an electronic current to
that fluid changes the orientation of those whiskers, thus changing the
effective fluid viscosity and the associated damping characteristics.

Canyon feels
strongly that more comfort means higher performance, and has
incorporated their own VCLS Technology (Vertical Comfort, Lateral
Stiffness) into their frames for several years. The Projekt MRSC is a
next iteration in expanding this tech.
Canyon’s engineering team sees constant road vibration as the next
biggest cause of rider fatigue beyond pedaling effort. As the back and
leg muscles undergo stress to counteract road impacts and stabilize the
bike, rider comfort decreases and with it endurance and speed. The
vibration also breaks the bike’s contact with the road and its intended
path, consuming unnecessary energy.The MRSC system proposed an active
bike frameset to enhance comfort and handling, with less energy input. (...)

The bike of the (not so distant?) futureCanyon
isn't ready to offer any sort of estimates as far as when the Projekt
MRSC Connected might actually become a real product but its for-sale
date might come sooner than many of us would have thought. While there
are obviously a lot of challenges to work through, there's already a
test mule to develop the MR suspension system that we got to ride
briefly during the Eurobike show.

Frameset Design Features:

15mm front and 12mm rear through axles for improved stiffness and consistent handling